A Tale of Tantalus
by ZGAngel
Summary: Baku is just a noble kid looking for his true place. Leading a double life in Treno is not easy, but then his parents send him to Alaxandria where his true adventure begins. Find out how he became Tantalus' leader through a life packed with adventure. R
1. Chapter 1 Baku's Bad News

Chapter 1

Baku's Bad News 

Baku hated school, he had always hated school and he was pretty sure that at least two of his teachers were dead set on causing him as much misery as possible. At least it was the end of another school day now, he thought. As he walked back he already started to forget the hardships of the day, which included two cane lashes and being locked in a small cupboard for an hour by Miss Winson. One day he was going to get the old bat back for that one. Now he carried a small slip of parchment alerting his parents of his misdemeanours, but he had no intention of handing it over. Instead he would do as he did with the others, forge his father's signature and hand it back telling of how he was half-beaten for his actions. What did it matter? His parents didn't care enough to investigate his school life and Winson was always satisfied by the reports.

Deciding he didn't want to go straight home today Baku did not continue into the finer more noble part of Treno. Instead he turned down the steps that led straight into the area's he was forbidden to go. On the narrow stretch of broken pathway he loosened and removed his tie, stuffing it into his bag, ruffed up his shirt and hair. He even stooped down and picked up some dirt showing it generously over himself, before starting off round the corner where a trail lead to the travellers tavern. Even from that far off Baku could already hear the familiar sounds of shouting and clanking, and he relaxed. Around here at least it did not matter if he knew his multiplication tables correctly.

With great excitement he pushed open the door and was met by the smells of beer and body odour, but he did not care. He liked these surroundings. He began to push through the many people in the tavern to find who he was looking for. After a few minutes of looking he stopped by the wall to look around a bit, but the door behind him opened the voice of a young boy caught his immediate attention.

'Psssst Baku!' he turned to see a scruffy boy poking his head out from the doorway leading to the backroom. 'Hurry or ya gonna miss it!' without hesitation Baku followed him through the door which slammed shut behind him.

He found himself in a small, warm room, lit with several half-melted candles. At the centre was a small circular table to which sat two other children his age – a girl in a patched red dress and a boy in a torn green hat. Around the table about twelve or so other children were gathered. 'Gilbert's goin' up agains' Hunt!' Thug told him, 'they go' a be','

'Oh yeah, what are the stakes?' Baku asked excitedly, being much heftier then all of the other children gathered, he was able to push himself to the front.

'Well if Hunt wins Gilbert's gotta be her slave for a whole month, but if Gilbert wins, Hunt's gotta be his girlfriend for a month!' Thug explained then rubbed his hands together and grinned widely, 'i's bes' two outta three,'

From the opposite side of the table a tall boy stepped out and everyone around started clapping excitedly, he was quick to hush them. 'Okay kiddies! It's the moment you've all been waitin' for!' there was a load cheer from the gathered audience. 'On the right we have the weapons master herself Hunt!' the majority of the audience gave a loud approving response, but both Baku and Thug jeered. 'And to the left we have the king of beasts Gilbert!' there was less of a cheer for him but Baku and Thug tried to shout as loud as possible for their friend,

'You're going down pet-man!' Hunt said mockingly.

'Not before you … um …. Blut-blade girl!' he replied though his nervousness was very apparent. Thug and Baku exchanged disapproving looks.

'Have you both selected your cards?' asked the narrator boy, both opponents nodded, staring each other directly in the eyes. 'Then I'll flip!' he took a chipped coin, half blue and half red from his pocket and flipped it. It landed blue side up on the table and Gilbert gave a stifled cuss.

'Uh oh! Gil never does goo' when he ge's firs' turn!' Thug whispered to Baku.

'Gil never does any good when he gets second turn either,' Baku replied frowning watching as Hunt placed a Masamune card directly at the centre of the open nine-square grid drawn rather wobbly upon the table.

'she always does tha',' said Thug leaning closer 'I's obvious!'

'We both know Gil's going do his signature response,' Baku told him in a matter-of-fact tone. And sure enough Gilbert placed to the Masamune's left an Ironite card which was quickly countered with a second Masamune and changed red.

Gilbert lost the last two games as drastically as he did the first two and at the end of it Hunt was cheered for by everyone save Baku and Thug, who went to console their friend. Hunt was quite happy to sap up the glory like a beetle to a tree while Gilbert placed his head on the table and grunted under his breath.

'why!?' he exclaimed, 'why can't I ever just beat her!?'

'coz she's be'er than you,' Thug said simply with a shrug, 'she's be'er than everyone, everyone knows one day Hunt's gonna be the Tetra mas'er one day, wha' was ya thinkin' playin' 'er like that eh?'

'I was hopin she'd notice me, how much I like her,' mopped Gilbert his head low. 'I'm wanna marry her one day…. I really wanna have 'er as my wifey,'

'yeah you and everyone else in the room,' laughed Baku, 'gwhahaha!'

'You guys just don't understand love,' replied Gilbert pitifully.

'I understan' i's got ya ass kicked again,' mocked Thug 'jus like the las' ten times,'

'Thug's got a point, if your going to get your ass kicked all the time you really should stop challenging Hunt, especially in public exhibitions that are bound to eternally embarrass you,' Back said, for the most part without thinking. Thug and Gilbert turned to him with confused expressions and stared. Baku quickly thought and spat out 'I heard some guy on the street say it! Just did it to freak you out! Gwhahaha … haha,' for a moment or two Thug and Gil seemed to either not understand the joke or not be falling for it, but to Baku's considerable relief they both began laughing along with him.

It really wasn't easy leading a double life. Keeping up appearances on both sides was the hardest part – he always needed to ensure he was using the right words and mannerisms in the right places so that neither his family nor his friends found out about each other. Behaving in two different ways had become a skill perfected by time but Baku still made the occasional slip. His thoughts quickly reminded him, he really did need to get home now.

'Hey listen I've got to go,' he told his friends.

'Oh time for ya to work already?' asked Thug looking at his broken watch, which had been placed on upside-down.

'Yeah, those kitchens ain't going to clean themselves,' he laughed, 'and I really want to eat tonight,' he added for effect.

'Hey me to,' said Thug and he turned to Gilbert who was busy with his finger in his ear. 'Let's go snatch stuff off the tables at that fancy club down Stoway,' he proposed, Gil nodded grinning with delight, Thug turned back to Baku. 'you sure you don' wanna come? I's goo' stuff. Me an thug once tried to read the menu and we didn' understan' a word!'

'no thanks, I really have to go now,' he replied regrettably, 'but I could try and snag some food for you guys for tomorrow,' he suggested, he often felt bad they had to steal to eat and, at the same time, jealous as well.

'Yeah! We'll meet ya tomorrow then, down the card-stadium?' proposed Gilbert, whose face had lit up at the mention of free food.

'Great! See you then,' Baku replied as they walked out into the crowded tavern together.

On his way back up to the noble's area of Treno, Back tidied himself up once more; sweeping off the dirt as best he could and replacing his tie and blazer, and combing his fingers through his hair. At the gate to his parent's mansion, he stopped and sighed. He hated being at home almost as much as he hated school. The hallway to his home was quiet and empty, but Baku checked twice to make sure that nobody was coming down the stairs before dashing up them himself, leaving somewhat of a muddy trail. Once safely in his bedroom he locked the door and changed his clothes, removing the slip from his pocket. Before anything else he wanted to get that sorted. He sat down at his desk and removed a quill and ink-well. On a scrap piece of parchment he scribbled down his own name and then underneath his fathers signature, which curved so elegantly it made Baku scowl every time he saw it. It looked like the signature of a woman, but it was well known, so Baku couldn't change it into something more manly. He suspected Winson would know the signature of the owner of the auction-house since she was frequently seen bidding for old heirlooms there.

Taking the notice of his behaviour in front of him, Baku carefully copied his father's signature down. He had done it so many times in his twelve years of life, that it was perfectly mimicked in a matter of seconds. Once done he sighed with relief and tucked it into his bag for school the following day. Just as soon as he had sat on his bed, the dinner bell rang out through the house. Realising he was still a mess, Baku wondered into the wash room and cleaned himself up a little more before heading down to the dinning room where his parents were already sat at the great oak table.

'Darling, good evening,' his mother said as he walked in with a false smile, thankfully dinner-time was the other time he ever had to see them. 'Come now, sit, we were just about to send Edger after you,' Baku obeyed his mother and sat in his usual position opposite her. She clapped her hands together twice, 'bring the food please,' several servants entered the dining room carrying trays of food they laid them neatly on the table, provided Baku and his parents with napkins and cutlery, bowed politely and left the room once more. Baku started to eat absentmindedly; he didn't much care to include himself in tonight's conversation about the trouble with common street-urchins.

'There just seems to be more and more of them these days,' his father said cutting a piece of meat. 'One thief thought he could steal back on of the lots today – pleaded with the guards, told them it was a precious family heirloom, the only thing he had, but of course he was making it up, they all want something for nothing,'

'That's terrible dear,' his mother replied, 'why I remember when I was just a girl, we didn't have any trouble with them at all, in fact they were all kept in that lower sector of theirs, not even allowed up anywhere near us,'

'Times keep getting worse,' commented his father with a sigh.

'There aren't that many and they're not that bad!' exclaimed Baku angrily thinking of Thug and Gilbert; a deep scowl had formed on his face. His father looked bewildered, but his mother touched his hand and smiled.

'Now now dear, there's no need to be afraid,' she told him gently, 'if fact,' she glanced at her husband, who smiled, 'we have some very good news for you,' she took away her hand. 'Your father and I were worried that you might become hurt due to the streams of little monsters mauling about our streets these days and so….' She stopped to gasp with excitement. 'We enrolled you at the Alexandria Academy,'

'What?' he replied in horror, 'When?'

'A month ago I received the application,' his father explained. 'We didn't tell you because we know how hard it is to get into such a refined place and we didn't want to get your hopes up,' well there was no chance of that, Baku thought. 'but we received confirmation just this morning that you had been accepted,'

'but how could I have been accepted?' He thought allowed, there wasn't a rule he hadn't broken at his school, not personal tutor he's had left un-tormented, even his carriage ride to and from the school had given up on him years ago, how the heck did he manage to get into Alexandria! It was just so top notch.

'Miss Winson wrote you a fantastic report, as well as many of your other teachers,' his mother replied happily. Ha! Winson probably only did that to get him out of the school! The old witch! 'You don't look to happy dear,'

'The academy really is top-notch,' his father assured him, 'they have excellent resources, the best scholars, wonderful students and there has never been a discipline problem that they couldn't get rid of quickly,' he leaned back in his chair. 'You'll be with people of your own merit and talent; it's the very best thing for you,'

'But I don't want to move away from Treno,' Baku responded, 'and how will you run the auction house from so far away?' his mother and father exchanged a nervous glance. 'what?'

'My dear, the academy is a boarding school,' his mother explained, 'your father and I will be staying here,' Baku's eyes widened, were they … trying to get rid of him? 'now don't worry dear, we'll send letters every week and won't it be fun to be a new city with new friends?'

'I guess so,' Baku replied so unhappy the thought of running away was already rushing through his mind. 'When do I have to go?'

'The air-ship leaves for Alexandria next week,' his father explained, 'you'll finish up at your current school on Friday and leave for Alexandria on the Saturday,'

After dinner Baku sat alone in his room staring out the window at the darkness that never went away in Treno. At least, he thought through his deep sadness, he would get to see sunlight. He'd heard of sunlight before, he'd seen pictures of skies that were blue instead of black, but he's never seen it for himself. However, at price of loosing his friends, his home and his freedom, he would have rather stayed in the eternal darkness.

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Next Chapter- "A Goodbye Dare"


	2. Chapter 2  A Goodbye Dare

Chapter 2

A Goodbye Dare

'so ya really goin away huh?' asked Gilbert sadly as they passed through the doors into his fathers Tavern which was emptier than usual. The boys went into the back room and sat for a while in silence. The impending separation was eating away at both of them now that it was so close. Baku's mind was whirling with thoughts and emotions he could not control as hard as he tried. At home everything was packed and ready to be hoisted onto an airship; his parents had made sure of that – he hated them now. They didn't care about him, that's why they were sending him away; so that they wouldn't have to bother with him, not that they did anyway. The only people who were sad to see him go were Gilbert and Thug neither of whom could read nor write. He doubted very much he would ever be able to keep in contact with them which made him feel more depressed than ever in his life. 'I just can't believe ya goin','

'I have to. My parents finally got a job in Alexandria and I have to go with them,' replied Baku lowering his head. Until the very end he did not want anyone to know he was a noble's son. He wanted always to be an urchin like them, their friend. 'It's my last night here, we should do something fun,'

'Yeah like what?' asked Gilbert, with a shrug. Baku lifted his head thinking. He wanted to be remembered in Treno, among his friends at least, for something special, but for the life of him he could not think of what he could do.

'Guys! Guys!' Thug burst in so fast it startled Gilbert, who dropped the card he had been playing with. He stopped and panted for a moment his hands on his knees, then jumped up once more sheer excitement on his face. 'guess who jus' abou' to lay down a dare?'

'Who?' asked Gilbert stooping to pick up his card. He didn't seem to bothered by Thug had to say.

'Kohel!'

Gilbert fell off his chair in surprise, while Baku swung round, 'what's the dare? and what's the prise?' he asked quickly standing to tower over his friend.

'Dunno ye'' he replied half turning, ''es jus' abou' to say! Come on quick!'

They hurried out of the tavern and down a ladder that descended further into the market area. To call it a market area was rather an overstatement, since it was just a single stall in an area the size of a house, but it was a place many of the poorer residents of Treno relied on. Baku was sure most of its produce was stolen, but he didn't care. Kohel was a broad shouldered teenager from the noble side of Treno though he knew Baku was also of noble decent he never told anyone, despite this Baku didn't really like him. He was a boy who flaunted his noble status on the street-kids for the sheer pleasure of knowing he was better of and thinking he was superior to them. Every so often he made dares on the children and gave them money if they proved they could do it: he wanted to be knight one day, though Baku seriously doubted that would ever happen.

'Okay, today it was going around that old bird lady Stella actually got one of those coins she's been after forever,' he announced his voice loud and proud over the silence of the group. 'Her house, as I'm sure you all know, is to the far north of the city. I dare someone to go to her house and …' he always paused, he thought it added dramatic effect but Baku was sure all it did was bore everyone. 'Steal that coin, I'll give whoever succeeds one-hundred gil,'

'I'll do it!' cried Baku in reply, the chatter that had formed in the group quickly turned into gasps as they all turned to look at him. Baku wasn't in control when he answered, but the more he thought about it the greater the idea seemed. He'd always wanted to one-up Kohel and this seemed his last opportunity, plus it seemed like the ideal way to make his mark. 'I'll take on your little bet,'

'are you crazy?' whispered Gilbert alarmed.

'But when I do it I get to keep the coin and you give Gilbert and Thug fifty gil each,' Baku demanding standing forward, he was going to make the most of this. Kohel brought a finger to his chin and thought his narrowed eyes on Baku. Then he smiled smugly and nodded.

'Alright Baku,' he said cockily, 'but in that case I want you to get me one of her feathers and if you fail, I tell your little friends the truth,' every nerve in Baku tinged at that comment, but he held strong in front of Kohel.

'You're on!' and they shook hands to bind the deal looking directly into each others eyes.

'You've got until six tomorrow morning,' Kohel told him as they released each others hands. 'the coin and a feather,'

'I swear you've lost it big time,' whispered Gilbert as he, Baku and Thug walked the path past the Café Carta club. 'How are ya gonna get in there? Old bird Stella has a million guards! Not to mention she's as whacked as a fruit-fly!'

'I think Baku is to!' Thug added. They reached the end of the path where there stood a large mansion with large red doors, surrounded by hundreds of birds. Coffin like features stood upright on the grass before near to the entrance. To its left was a large body of water reflecting the lights still on inside. Baku gestured to the other two and all three hid behind some trees nearby.

'Do ya even have a plan?' Gilbert asked.

'Sort of,' Baku replied scanning the building behind the water carefully.

'sor' of?' Thug questioned, 'wha's sor' of?'

'All I have to do is swim across the pool and climb into her bedroom window on the second floor,' Baku explained more to himself than his friends. 'She's bound to keep it with her, I'll just take it while she's sleeping and grab a feather on my way out. There shouldn't be any guards in her bedroom,'

'This is a really bad idea!' Gilbert informed him, but Baku already knew this. He was familiar with Stella's home, he had been inside a few times and explored it, but he had only a rough idea of where her bed chamber was. When he though about it, he wasn't even sure the stellazzio coin would even be on her person; that was just an informed guess. It was far too late to turn back now, but he didn't want his friends in Treno or Kohel to remember him as a coward so he took a deep breath and strode forward.

The water was colder than he had expected it to be and full of fish. He swam to the western wing, designed to look as though it was inside a giant cage. Using the frame surrounding the building Baku pulled himself out of the water and held on tightly to the bar. He could see Thug and Gilbert on the other side of the pool, just dark figures in the shadow of the trees. Once he had recovered from the swim (realising he was quite unfit) Baku stood up on the framework using the bars at his side to stop himself from falling. He had to jump to reach the bar above, but he got it and without slipping. It took a lot of effort to get onto the bar for the second floor where there was an open window. Baku looked through to see if anyone was there – he had misjudged the rooms for this was not Stella's bedchamber, it was some kind of study. Carefully he climbed through the window getting stuck almost instantly, he had to wiggle around for several minutes to get free falling on the floor with a great clatter and scurrying out of sight in case anyone came in to investigate. After a minute or so he crept out from the desk he was hiding under and allowed his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room. A globe of Gaia now lay by his feet half smashed, he carefully lifted it and had a look. He found Treno instantly close to a few forests and just the other side of the South Gate was the village of Dali and to the north-east was the great kingdom of Alexandria- the place he was bound for the following day. It made him angry to think about it now. He didn't have long to finish the dare! He would at least do that before he had to go.

Without further hesitation he headed to the door, opening just enough to see through with one eye. He was shivering with cold now and dripping wet, but he chose to ignore it, the sooner he got the coin the sooner he could get out. There was no body out in the bright hallway, so Baku opened the door a little further and listened for footsteps wither way- all was quiet. Baku tiptoed out into the hallway his heart pulsing with excitement and continued down looking through several doors along the way hoping to find Stella's bedroom. As he walked he left a trail of water and he knew he would be easily found if anyone saw it, but he didn't care in fact he almost felt glad he might be found out it gave him a thrill. When he reached the end of the corridor he met a flight of stairs. He found it strange that he had not run into a single house servant along the way – Stella usually had so many, but he walked up the stairs occasionally glancing behind him to ensure no body was there.

At the top of the stairs was a single door with a funny symbol carved into it. This time however Baku did not try to open it instead placed his ear against the key hole and listened hard. From inside he could hear the sounds of a bird – it was Stella. She was sleeping there now?

Carefully placing his hand on the door knob, Baku took a deep breath and turned slowly hoping it would not make any noise and once it had fully turned he pushed gently. The door creaked quietly as it opened forcing Baku to stop it half-way but her gentle coos continued and he relaxed once more. When the door was opened almost all the way, he crept inside eyes wide open and ears posed for the slightest noise. As he walked further in he looked around. Many cages hung from the ceiling, most were empty, some filled with piles of stuff, one had a coin suspended in it before a telescope glass to make it seem bigger and one contained Stella, laying asleep on a red sofa. He moved closer to her carefully placing one foot before the next as quietly as possible.

He started feeling his foot hit air instead of a platform and staggered back. It was then he realised he was on a platform and had almost fallen off the end to a lower ground. The only way to both the coin and Stella was the cages. Without hesitation he jumped into the nearest empty cage which swung slightly under his weight, he then swung from cage to cage careful to ensure they didn't clank together and wake Stella still cooing, dressed in a pink night gown her beak pushed under the blue plumage of her wing. When he had reached the cage with the coin inside he was quick to snap it off its chain and tuck it into his pocket. That was simple enough, it was the feather he had been worried about. For a while he had suspected he would need to pluck one from her, but now he was there he was able to see many of her feathers had dropped to the bottom of the cage. Smiling he hung tightly to the cage bars and leaned forward to pick it up.

'If you take it for your needs, remember, I will find you for the rest,'

Baku started and fell dropping and catching the bottom of the cage so he did not fall. It had been Stella who had spoken. She had caught him it was over… no he wasn't going to let himself be caught. Baku swung to another cage and back onto the platform, and without a second thought he sprinted out of the room and down the corridor slipping occasionally on his own wet trail. At the first door he came to he stopped and looked behind him she wasn't there. He threw the door open and ran to the window.

'They carry curses of destiny,' it was her again, but it couldn't be. Baku turned to look. She was there a silhouetted figure in the doorway. He didn't have the feather but he didn't care, he needed to get away. He struggled through the window onto the outer cill and jumped down into the water below. The cold plunge of the water forced him to quickly swim to the shore where Thug and Gilbert were waiting to drag him out.

'Do ya get it?' asked Gilbert after he was done panting. Baku smiled stuffing his hand in his pocket and removing the large bronze coin to show his friends. 'great! Let's get out of here!'

'I'll ge' the feather!' announced Thug bending down behind Baku.

'But I…' as he lifted himself to his feet he saw Thug pick up a blue feather from the edge of the water. He handed it to Baku who stood looking at it – what luck! He thought. It didn't matter how it had got there as long as it was there. The three boys scrambled away from the house together. Baku could only think of how exciting it had felt to have stolen something so precious from a noble! He truly felt like a street child now. And to have been in the house, almost caught, just barely escaping - never had he felt so alive. And so as he strode away he did not look back to see Stella watching him through the window, a blue feather missing from her neck.

'One day, I'll find you, to bring me the rest…' she whispered before turning away and leaving the room.

The next day came too soon, Baku sat on the fountain just before the gates of Treno alone with his bags, along with many other nobles about to embark to Alexandria. He was fumbling with the coin – wondering what he should do with it now. It wasn't a good idea to keep it, despite the fact that he wanted to. Having to decide what he was going to do with such a useless thing kept his mind of the fact that he was to depart the moment the ship arrived outside Treno and that his parents had not come to see him off.

'Oh are you going to make a wish?' Baku looked up, a young noble woman stood before him, beautifully dressed and a warm smile on her face. He looked questioningly at her. 'Your coin, are you going to make a wish in the fountain?'

'Why would I do that?' he asked sadly, wishing that she would just leave him to his miserable thoughts.

'Don't you know the story?' she asked surprised. Baku shook his head as she sat down beside him and removed her gloves. 'Treno used to be just this fountain,' she began, 'the story goes that a woman said goodbye to the man she loved here, while he went to fight in the Lindblum war,' she took her purse from around her wrist and opened it. 'Everyday she waited for him to return, but he did not. One day she was visited by a nymph,'

'aren't they a type of monster?' asked Baku sceptically.

'Usually yes, but this was good nymph – for she was the green nymph,' Baku looked at her then back at the ground before him. 'anyway, the nymph told the girl that the fountain was magic and would grant wishes to those who deserved them. She gave the girl a coin and told her to drop it into the fountain whilst thinking of the thing she wanted most. As the girl did so the nymph disappeared and the next day the girl's lover returned just as she had wished,'

'is that story true?' Baku asked sceptically, the noble woman laughed.

'I don't know, but it sounds as though it should be doesn't it,' she replied smiling at him.

'Sounds silly to me,' Baku replied smiling back and she laughed once more.

'Yes,' she agreed, 'I think anyone who spends their life waiting for a man round a fountain is rather silly,' she took a coin out of her purse and stood offering him her hand. 'still shall we try it, I believe I myself am rather silly,'

'yeah me to,' he agreed and took her hand. They stood together beside the fountain facing the water.

'Now think of the thing you really, really want,' she instructed closing your eyes, 'I've already got mine – as soon as you are ready drop your coin and I will as well, take your time,'

This was so stupid, he thought, wished never came true. Wishes were stupid, he felt stupid standing there, but the woman was warm and kind and he felt he ought to. Okay what did really want? Not to go to this stupid school! He didn't want to go to the school! He would be happy if … the coin slipped through his fingers and fell into the water. The woman beside him dropped her straight afterwards.

'Oh goody,' she said clapping and turned to Baku who stood staring at the water irritated. Had he just wished to be happy? Great – how fantastically corny. 'Now don't tell anyone your wish or it won't come true,' she told him, no chance of that he thought to himself.

'Princess Brahne!' someone called, the lady beside him rolled her eyes. A man old man in white clothes came over. 'Your highness, you are not to run from your escorts so,' she sighed and looked at him seemingly bored by what he was saying. 'It is dangerous for a sixteen year old to be running around by herself in this city, much less a princess,'

'I was simply making a wish,' she told him irritated, 'not much danger in that is there?'

'My princess, allow me to escort you back to the guard now,' he said bowing, 'the airship is about to arrive. We want to get you safely to your designated room as quickly as possible,'

'Oh alright I'm coming,' she replied, then turned back to Baku and placed a hand on his shoulder. 'It was lovely to meet you, I hope your wish comes true,' and with that she turned and walked off followed by the man.

Baku looked down at the water again and saw his coin, now out of reach, Oh well, he thought, wishes were stupid anyway and this way he couldn't be caught with it.

As he boarded the airship, Baku looked back through the gates of Treno a deep sadness within him. Then he stood on the deck in the cold air alone and watched as the dark city disappeared from view, its lights getting further and further away until they were gone. And he wished deeply that wishes were not such stupid things, even though it was stupid to do so.

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Next Chapter: Seeing the Sun


	3. Chapter 3 Seeing the Sun

Chapter 3

Seeing the Sun

The airship had been in the air no longer than an hour and a half when it left the Bentini plains and, for the first time in Baku's life, he watched the sky turn from dark to light. Pastel pinks and oranges suddenly started to fill the sky above it was both fascinating and calming. He had no idea that the sky could create such beautiful colours after so long of nothing but darkness ahead. As they flew over a small rock formation the sky finally became blue, just as Baku had seen in books. It was awe-inspiring with patches of fluffy white cloud blowing slowly above, but soon they lowered altitude into the mist below and the sight lost its thrill shrouded in mist. They were soon flying near to the Zamo River which went all the way through the Zamo Basin, through the Evil Forest and finished at the foot of the Alexandria Plateau. The ship would now follow this river straight to Alexandria. After a while looking, at the misty ground below became boring.

The ship they were travelling on was quite big and looked as though it could be fun to explore. Baku dropped his bags in his room and went about the ship with the same intrigue as he had when looking at the sky. Crew members ran from place to place checking things and talking with the passengers, it was all very exciting but not for very long. He found he wasn't aloud into many areas of the ship, such as the helm-room or the lowest level where the engines were- things he really would have liked to see. Soon Baku found himself alone on the deck once more trying to amuse himself by playing a counting game he had been taught. This proved utterly useless in his fight against boredom and he wished that Thug and Gilbert were with him.

'What'cha doing?' the voice startled Baku into an upright position. When he turned he was met with a smiling face of a boy about his age perhaps a little older. He had ginger fur all over his body and a scruff of hair that almost covered his eyes. Baku looked at him then turned back to peer over the side of the ship.

'Just looking,' he replied with a sigh.

'Doesn't look to fun,' the boy replied coming over to join him. Baku didn't respond. 'so what's your name?' he asked unbothered by Baku's carelessness.

'Baku,' he replied simply.

'hey that's a cool name, I'm Zebolt, but you can just call me Ze if you want,' he replied happily, 'my dad and brother work on the ship,' he explained, Baku nodded politely though he wasn't really interested. 'do you want to see something really cool?'

'Yeah, like what?' Baku asked suddenly gaining interest.

'My dad's the pilot, so I can take you up to the helms room with me,' he answered, Baku's eyes lit up and he turned to Zebolt. 'I like it in there, but it's always boring by myself,'

'Your dad is really the captain of this ship?' Baku asked in disbelief. Zebolt nodded, a wide grin across his face. 'and you can get us into the Helm's room?'

'Do you want to go?'

'Of course!'

The boys ran up onto the top deck of the ship where a small helms box was being guarded by two of the crew members. Baku hesitated, but Zebolt skipped over happily and within seconds was talking and laughing with them. He gestured Baku over with arm and opened the door to the helms room. Baku was quick to follow him in glancing at the two crew members as he passed; it made him feel quite important.

The helms room was just big enough to fit a handful of people inside with a large clear windscreen running through three of its walls. Near the windscreen was the helm being operated by Zebolt's father – who bore a little of similarities to his son save that he was much bigger both in height and size. To the back of the room was a system of machines and gages, making strange and fantastic sounds. There was even an intercom wired up. Baku looked with amazement at everything there was there. Through the windscreen it was clearer than on the lower deck – Baku was able to see the beautiful blue once more and smiled.

'Ah Zebolt,' said the captain turning but not removing his hands from the helm. 'I was wondering where you ran off to – who's this you got here?'

'Oh this is Baku,' Zebolt answered, 'he's my new friend,'

'oh well that's nice,' his father replied. 'So you're from Treno eh kid?'

'Yes,' Baku replied obediently though he was looking closely at the machinery. 'But I'm moving to Alexandria,' he replied with hidden disgust.

'Ah really why's that?' he asked, Zebolt sat down on a stall nearby and listened.

'My parents are sending me to a school there,' Baku answered turning, he looked down at the floor and put his hands behind his back. 'But I don't really want to go,'

'That wouldn't be the Alexandria academy now would it?' he asked with surprise, Baku nodded but did not look up. 'Why that's where I went to when I was a kid,' he told Baku, whose head lifted so fast his neck almost jarred. 'yeah good place that – pretty strict though. A challenge for most trouble makers like me though,' he laughed. 'Yeah but not like my Zebolt here, he's going to be a right good student I reckon,'

'You're starting there as well?' Baku asked Zebolt, who nodded smiling as usual.

'Oh yeah,' he dad said proudly, 'got himself excepted last month but we couldn't bring him over until now,' he looked over his shoulder at the boys. 'You two could be quite good pals I reckon,'

Zebolt and Baku looked at one another and smiled. He did seem friendly, if a little bit of a wimp Baku thought, and he didn't really want to go into the school all by himself. If he had Zebolt there at least he wouldn't feel like a complete loner at the academy somewhere, he believed he was bound not to fit in. He can stand to be Zebolt's friend, for now at least.

At the change of Zebolt's fathers shift as pilot, Zebolt took Baku down to the engine rooms to show him around. He seemed to get very excited whenever he spoke about the machines. They weren't all that fascinating to Baku- it wasn't a pleasant place to be. It was hot and sticky, and mist rolled out of random areas every once in a while, crew members ran from place to place checking things and monitoring stations. Nobody seemed to notice they were there, but Zebolt was hell-bent on making sure that Baku saw it all and explaining each little bit. It was almost as boring as the deck though it surprised Baku just how much Zebolt did know. As he grinned and bared each torturing moment in the engine room, Baku longed to be back in the helm-room staring at that sky.

'and this,' Zebolt explained pointing, 'this is the mist-transmitter, it makes sure all the mist goes to the right areas of the ship to power in properly. Without any mist the ship wouldn't run, that's why we need to fly at such a low altitude,' he ran to the machine opposite, 'and this one – it takes all the bad stuff out of the mist to make sure none of the people on board get poisoned or anything. Once when I was little this one broke and three people ended up blinded for a week. Lucky Lindblum has such good white mages or they might still be,'

'Lindblum is that where you're from?' Baku asked desperate to change the conversation .

'yep that's right,' Zebolt answered proudly. 'I've lived there my whole life, there and on this airship. When my mom died I started to come on this airship with my dad and that was about two years ago now,' Baku gave him a sympathetic look. 'Now I'm going to the academy. My dad says it will be good for me since I don't have any real friends … well except you now.'

'Do you want to go? Baku asked curious, was Zebolt's father trying to get rid of him to?

'Yeah,' Zebolt replied, 'I want to go there so I can learn to become an engineer,' he explained, his eyes lit up and he seemed to drift into a daydream. 'I've always wanted to work with machines, but I want to build them. I want to work for the regent in Lindblum and design airship engines – I want to design the fastest one ever! One day,' he stopped and sighed, 'but first I have to make sure I get good results at the academy. The regent only hires the best of the best for the air docks,'

'Does the regent hire pilots?' Baku asked thinking of the helms room once more.

'Yes, he has a whole army of fighter airships, and he hires the best pilots to fly them, but only the best,' he explained.

When Baku retired to his room for the evening his mind was buzzing with all he had seen just on that one airship. He thought about Zebolt, the engines, the mist and the helm but mostly he thought about the sky. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined such a thing could have so much wonder- what else did it hold in all its mysteriousness. His imagination soared with impossible ideas of hidden lands beyond its blueness, places daring to be explored. There was nothing, it seemed to him that anything could be done in the sky. Baku felt as though he never wanted to see the ground again, but they were only another day or so from Alexandria and the idea made his heart sink.

That night Baku dreamt of flying through the skies on a pair of wings that were his own. In the air he witnessed dragons battling for power over a forgotten land and airships so fast they left trails in the clouds. The dream ended abruptly when he was woken by a loud knock on the door. Groaning and turning, ignoring the noise, Baku fell back to sleep instantly and was woken once more when someone nudged him hard in the shoulder.

'Baku,' said Zebolt quietly. He groaned in reply annoyed at being woken. 'Come on there's something I really want to show you,'

'What? Can't it wait?' Baku asked shrugging him of.

'No,' he replied quickly tugging at Baku's arm. 'My dad said you'd probably like it – he said he would have never seen a sunrise before,' Baku sat up, yawned and looked at Zebolt through squinted eyes. 'Do you want to come or not?'

'What on Gaia is a sunrise?' Baku replied confused.

'It's where the sun comes up every morning,' Zebolt explained, 'they're really nice to look at,'

'The sun … comes up?' Baku asked in surprise. He had always assumed it just stayed where it was in the sky and lost its glow sometimes when it got dark, never had he thought it actually came up from somewhere. 'Where does it come from?'

'The horizon, just come on and you'll see,' Zebolt said standing, 'I'll wait for you outside. Be quick,'

Baku was quicker than he had ever been in his life – he did not want to miss the sun rising for fear it wouldn't happen again for a long time. His imagination ran wild once more with the idea of the sun coming into the sky in a massive burst of light. Grabbing his shoes he stumbled out of his room where Zebolt stood waiting, thankful to find it was still dark outside. They went up to the top deck again but this time not into the helms room. The captain was stood out on deck drinking something hot looking out into the darkness. He waved at them as they neared him.

'So you got up then?' he said to Baku, 'figured you'd never seen a sunrise before living in Treno and all that. I had to get you up, most people from Treno miss their first sunrise because their lazy in the mornings,'

'How many times a day does a sun … rise?' Baku asked feeling a little silly doing so.

'Just once every morning,' laughed the Captain, 'then it sets every evening,' Baku nodded with fascination looking out over the horizon, not wanting to miss a single thing. His very first sunrise – it was all so exciting!

Over the course of a few minutes Baku waited impatiently for something quick and drastic, but he soon realised no such thing was going to happen. Instead he witnessed a similar thing as to when he had first seen the light. The sky gently faded into a warm batch of deep colours – reds and oranges and pinks set the skyline on fire gradually. Then all at once the sun poked out from behind the mountains they were passing. Bright and painful to the eyes, the sun was quite the opposite of what Baku had been expecting, but it was beautiful and exhilarating none the less.

'So you watch this every single morning?' Baku asked the captain he nodded swallowing down a large mouthful of his drink.

'Usually, my pilot shift starts early in the morning so I get up and watch the sunrise before starting work,' he explained.

That was all Baku needed to here. How wonderful he thought, do see such a thing every morning and then command the ship. He wanted that now. He wanted to get up every morning and watch the sunrise before piloting the ship safely into dock. It felt so good to think his life might be that way – perhaps he could even go on some adventures or work with the Regent in the Lindblum army. Now that he was thinking about it, Treno seemed old and boring, he felt he was going on to better things and for the first real time since finding out he was going to Alexandria Baku smiled.

'So what do you have to do to be a pilot?' he asked the captain who was now absentmindedly filling a pipe with Gashal Green extract.

'Just a pilot – well first off if you want to work for Lindblum like I did, you have to pass an engineering scholarship at the Regent's docks. They give you a teacher and some funding and you'll start by fixing and getting to grips with engines. Then you apply to take a pilots course- you've got to have a good recommendation for that as well as passes on all your engine work. Then you start your flying lessons. You'll need about thirty of those before you can take your flying exam, once you've done that you get hired by the regent as a pilot.' He finished, Baku was dumbstruck, was it really that hard?

'So what about a captain?' Baku said a little disheartened.

'You have to do all that and buy a ship – as well as a good crew, and then you hire yourself out as a service,' he told Baku before sucking on the pipe. 'It's not easy mind you and airships are not cheap. But once you get yourself a good one there's nothing better,' Baku smiled again. It didn't matter how difficult it was, Baku wanted that. He wanted to fly a ship- to roam the skies as he pleased and he now had it set in his heart that he was going to get it, by any means necessary.


	4. Chapter 4 Her Academy

Chapter 4

**Her **Academy

'Welcome students, welcome, welcome to Alexandria and welcome to my school, I am Scholar Marley' the headmistress addressed new pupils with a smile, but there was something about her Baku didn't like. There was a strange look in her yellow eyes that seemed to survey the students one by one as though looking for something they might be hiding. 'Listen closely when I say that it is **my** school, because it is **my** school and it will be treated with the utmost respect.' She paced the platform she stood on in the main hall of the academy. 'We have a saying here in the Alexandria Academy, that saying is dre.' Baku and Zebolt looked at one another confused as did many other students. 'Allow me to explain – dre D-R-E,' she wrote the letters on the blackboard before then turned to face the students. Without warned she removed the cane from her side 'Discipline!' she hit the cane on letter D, everyone in the hall jumped a mile. 'Respect!' she hit the R, 'and Education!' and she hit the E. Then she took a long pause eyeing the group once more. 'These three words will carry you through **my** school like a dream. They are the foundations of order, they are the foundations of responsibility and most importantly they are the foundations for learning,' she stood before them tapping the end of the cane in the palm of her free hand. 'Abide by these words and we will get along swimmingly,' her faced suddenly turned strict and unnerving, 'but if you decide to disregard these simple words,' she looked right into Baku's eyes as though reading him on the inside 'if you feel you are better than to follow my instruction, you will be disciplined and if you won't learn you will be out of **my** school faster than you can say chocobo,' every student sat still and silent at her harsh voice. 'Do I make my self clear to all?' no body spoke but all present gathered enough nerve to nod their affirmation.

'Excellent,' he gestured to the back of the room, but no one dared look round to see why. 'These fine students at the back are your senior regulators,' Baku risked a glance behind him to find several elder students standing lined up at the back, large gold badges on their uniforms. None looked too friendly. 'They are here to take care of you, to ensure that your experience at the Alexandria Academy is received to its fullest. Please don't be afraid to ask them questions if you need to. But I remind you they are also here to keep an eye on your behaviour and report to me if anything goes amiss.'

'That woman,' Zebolt whispered to Baku as they were escorted up a flight of stairs along with the other male students. 'she's crazy – does she think of anything besides discipline?'

'Doesn't look like it,' Baku replied as shaken as his friend was. 'oh wait she thinks of respect and education as well, gwhahaha,' Baku silenced his laughing when the regulator leading them to their dorms stopped and looked at him. Once they had continued walking again he moved close to Zebolt's ear. 'I already don't like this place,'

'Me neither,' he whispered back.

Baku did not reply. He would have liked to have caused the old bag some trouble at **her** school, but even then he was noticing huge differences in himself and the majority of the other students. He was podgy, furry and towered above even the eldest of his new classmates. Both he and Zebolt stuck out like two sore thumbs in a world of polished fingers. Getting away with even breathing out of place was going to be especially hard for them against a background of perfectly proportioned human beings.

Lessons began the very next day so Baku could not explore the city as he had so wished until the weekend. He found he had to take classes in Math, Gaia Language, history, the arts and geography, only two of which he enjoyed. Though he had never been too precise at math in his old school, his new scholar was a man of great patience and encouragement. After a month or so under his tuition, Baku found he actually even enjoyed some aspects of mathematics; a trait he was quickly informed by Zebolt was often looked for when applying for an engineering placement at the palace of Lindblum. Baku was already thinking about this deeply, he wanted so much to become a pilot.

The other lesson was the arts, not so much for the painting and writing side, but for the drama and the music. Here he also had a good fair teacher who was pleased with both his ability to act and to sing; two things he had never done before that he enjoyed. He was informed that every year there was a production at the academy which would soon be looking for its actors – and he was greatly encouraged to audition. Every other class was either boring, difficult or contained a scholar that was both.

The first weekend they were there Baku and Zebolt did the first thing that marked them as trouble-makers. When they found they were not allowed out of the school grounds without permission they snuck out by themselves to explore the western sector of the town surmised to find the centre and eastern sectors, as well as the palace, were separated by wide rivers. Boats ran frequently from section to section, but they decided to leave that for another day. The eastern sector really wasn't too exciting but it was wondrous to experience a city coated in light. The houses were all the similar sized and attached to one another with red shingled roves and shuttered windows. Nobody seemed to be living on the streets there, all the children had shoes and looked well nourished. Over everything the palace, a spectacle of architecture, remained in the distance. Its great sword shimmered beautifully in the daylight at the centre of its four tall towers. Baku really wanted to see it up close, but that would have to wait for another day.

When they returned to the academy, three senior regulators were waiting to escort them straight to the head-mistress' study. As they entered the room she was stood looking out the window silently. The regulators left them staring at the wall behind her desk leaving with smug looks, Baku and Zebolt looked at one another several times in the five or so minutes of silence that followed. The woman did not so much as move an inch until the bell sounded in the distance startling both of the boys. She strode quietly to her desk and looked at a painting hanging on the wall – it was a portrait of the school with the words "Discipline is leaning" written in bold capital letters on the bottom of the frame, but even then she did not speak. Another few minutes passed by and Baku's feet were beginning to ache from standing still for so long – he was beginning to think this was some bazaar form of punishment Eventually, after what felt like a week, she turned to face them, her face calm and dignified.

'Mr Baku Tribal and Mr Zebolt Gelwinch,' she said calmly, how on earth did she know their names? They had only been there a week. 'It would do you both to learn that at **my** school we pick up on the trouble makers quickly.' She paced forward and leaned on her desk. 'Those children that lack the understanding of the rules are always dealt with accordingly as quickly as possible.' She stepped back, placed her hands behind her back and walked over to the wall on there left. 'The school grounds,' she indicated pointing to a map hung on the wall. 'they span two hundred square feet in flat land from gate to gate – you boys are aware of the perimeter fence?' she asked casually, though Baku could see the fire of anger in her eyes. He and Zebolt nodded without a word. 'Then why may I ask did you decide to take it upon yourselves to cross it!' she suddenly shouted taking them both aback. 'The rules of **my** school clearly state that it is forbidden to go into the town without supervision, which is only granted on organised trips out. As punishment for your blatant disregard of the rules, you both will spend however long it takes repainting the perimeter fence each night until it is finished. Perhaps that way you will take the time to learn where it is and this little incident can go unrepeated,' she turned sharply and walked back to her desk. 'Mr Gelwinch you may go,' Zebolt hesitated looking at Baku. 'Mr Gelwinch you may go!' she repeated a little more harshly. Zebolt left with a single glance back at his friend, then Baku was left alone with the head-mistress both silent and strong.

'I was warned about you,' she said after a minute or so. Baku looked at her.

'What do you mean Scholar?' Baku asked calmly. Scholar Marley opened a drawer on her desk and pulled out a rather think file before slamming it down in front of Baku. 'This,' she began standing up straight. 'Is your standard report from every tutor you insulted, every lesson you skipped without good reason right down to every forged signature on every single home-report,' Baku's eyes widened in shock – how on earth did anyone know about that? 'You see Mr Tribal as cunning as you believe you are bad boys like yourself never go away with your crimes. People far smarter than you will always be watching, ensuring that even if you don't know it you are dealt with,' Baku looked at the floor confused, what could she mean? 'I never wanted you in my school to begin with – you have poor grades and a poor attitude, but then I saw you as a challenge. You see your parents offered me a lot of money to get you out of their hair and now I see why. You really are more trouble than your worth,'

'My parents sent me here because it was a good school,' Baku argued refusing to believe her.

'Are you calling me a liar?' she responded coldly, she opened another draw and pulled out a small strip of parchment. 'The school fees for Alexandria are one million gil for an entire four years, this is a cheque from your parents,' she lay the parchment down before him. Baku looked at it his heart sinking at the sight of the amount written. Nine million gil – he couldn't show just how much that hurt him and so remained expressionless in front of her resisting the urge to throw his fists down on her desk or even in her face. 'They paid me to keep you here and discipline you no matter how much of a handful you were and I intended to keep up my end of the arrangement. I would like to warn you Mr Tribal that sooner or later you will just become yet more proof that any buck can be broken no matter how wild he is.' Baku was ready to spit at her; she leaned very close to his face. 'For your benefit I suggest it be sooner,'

With that Baku was dismissed from her study. He felt numb with anger over everything he had heard, his whole life now felt like it had been kept secret from him and the tiny hope that his parents really did believe they were doing what was best for him vanished. They were only trying to deal with him; doing what was best for them. It was then he decided he was not going to let them or Marley have the satisfaction of beating him down into what they wanted him to be – he was going to become what he wanted and if he never saw his parents again it would be too soon. What was good was the fact that he could not be kicked out of the school. At this he smiled – a trouble-maker was he? He would show Marley the meaning of trouble-maker.

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Next Chapter - "I Want To Be Your Canary"


	5. Chapter 5 I Want To Be Your Canary

Chapter 5

"I Want To Be Your Canary"

'What ho? Out, vermin! Away! Thou darest bare thy sword before the King!? All who stand in my way will be crush'd!' Baku exclaimed loudly throwing down his fake sword at his fellow actors.

'Treacherous Leo, my Kinsman's suffering shall not be in vain!' replied the young man playing the part of Martin. 'For I shall instruct thee in his incomparable pain!'

'Alright boys,' said Scholar Lowell from his seat before the stage. 'That was excellent, we can practise the fight scene later, right now I need to see the Cornelia and Marcus' scene,' he turned to look at the other cast numbers behind him, most were helping to sort out props and costumes. 'Can I have Eva and Cedric please?' he called.

As he descended the steps to the stage Baku held back just a moment to watch as Eva walked up onto it, her beautiful silver hair wafting its floral fragrance into his nostrils. As she moved gracefully to her position on stage Baku stared at her unaware of anything else in the room. Until suddenly her eyes caught his and he stumbled over in surprise. She laughed slightly as Baku moved off embarrassed backstage where Zebolt was working on the set. He slumped down on a chair and sighed.

'Something up?' Zebolt asked looking up from the piece of wood he was hammering.

'No nothing,' Baku sighed in response.

'Yeah there is,' Zebolt replied turning back to his work. 'It's that girl again isn't it? Man you really like her,'

'I'm beginning to wish I'd gotten the part of Marcus, being Leo I only have three scenes alone with her and I never get to kiss her,' moaned Baku, Zebolt laughed, 'what's so funny?'

'You – you're like one of the most popular boys in school now,' Zebolt responded picking up another nail. 'Everyone knows you've got Marley on the run and you can't ask a girl out on a date – it's kinda funny,'

'Yeah keep laughing and I'll give you something you won't find so funny,' he threatened waving his fist at his friend who immediately shrugged him off.

'Whatever,' he said. 'I've gotta go get some paint for this, I'll see you later,' he walked away leaving Baku to sit alone for a few minutes feeling pathetic. He wasn't even sure why he liked Eva so much – she was just a girl … if a rather charming one. It had been when he had first seen her in her stage dress, she had just looked so beautiful, especially in the gentle light of backstage. From that moment every time he saw her it reminded him of that moment. And yet still he had not plucked up the courage to speak to her. He was glad he had to read lines on stage or nothing would have come out at all. What was hard to understand was the fact that every time he got near to her, his heart beat faster and his mind went blank and he ended up looking like a complete buffoon. What was the matter with him? This had never happened before.

'Hey Baku!' someone called from the stage opening, he looked over expressionless. 'Lowell wants you up for the capture scene.' Baku didn't mind he liked that scene – for just a few lines he was alone with Eva.

The next day was opening night so the final rehearsals went ahead all day, Baku was in and out of costumes and on and off stage so much he quickly became tired. King Leo wasn't even that big of a part. In his spare moments he sat alone in an empty classroom near to the hall and read up for his next math test due the following Tuesday. It was in here that he was disturbed just once, but as he turned to complain and threaten whoever had just come in he stopped and fell silent. Eva had come in and as of yet had not seen him. Baku suddenly became very dizzy. However, this vanished when he saw she was crying, sobbing into a tissue with her eyes tightly shut. Hesitantly he stood trying not to make any noise. What should he do? Try to speak to her? Sneak past her? Swallowing hard and realising he would never be able to squeeze past her without notice Baku approached her.

'E-e-evim … no … Eva!' he quickly corrected, she looked at him her eyes red and apologised. 'is something … song? … Gong? … Wrong! Is something wrong?' he blurted.

'Oh Baku, it's so silly really,' she responded through her sobs.

'Well it can't be that … silly, I mean if your really upset,' he replied trying to be gentle but his voice was beyond his control. 'Tell me,'

'Well if you really don't mind,' she took a seat and gestured for him to do the same. 'You see my mother is in the travelling theatre show in Lindblum,' she began Baku remained silent and just looked at her feeling a little uncomfortable. 'I don't often see her, but she usually comes to see my shows here at the school. But this year she's doing "To Wish Upon A Star" in Bermecia and she couldn't come,'

'oh well I'm sure she tried,' Baku responded.

'No it's not that that's the problem.' She continued dabbing her eyes. 'You see she sent me a ruby broach as a gift. It's a family heirloom, quite valuable. I was showing it to a few friends and Scholar Marley saw it,' she started to cry again. Baku had gotten very hot at the mention of Marley – what had she done to Eva? 'She told that jewellery was not allowed to be warn at the school and she confiscated it,'

'What a stupid rule!' Baku exclaimed angrily, of course he wouldn't have cared if it was him; he would have revelled in the idea of winding the headmistress up, but he would not permit her to so it to Eva. 'I'll get it back,' he thought allowed, she turned to him confused.

'Pardon?'

'I'll get it back for you,' he replied, she stood in surprise. 'It's easy, I'll sneak into her office while she's watching tomorrow's performance and steal it back from her desk.'

'Baku you can't do that!' Eva proclaimed in shock. 'if she catches you … she'll throw you out of the academy!'

'No she won't,' Baku laughed in response. 'If she could I'd be long gone by now. Besides I really want to … I want to do it for you,'

'Awe Baku that's so sweet, but it's only a broach and it's far too risky,' the smile on her face made Baku's heart melt. He was actually talking to her naturally now, but he felt like left over meatloaf – hard on the outside and soft on the inside. 'Really you don't have to do this for me,'

'I want to,' he assured her. 'Wait for me backstage, I'll be back with it before curtain up, I promise,' and he rushed off to find Zebolt. This was his chance to show Eva he was a real man not the wimp she always seemed to see him as. It wouldn't be too hard, he would just pick the lock to the office door get into the confiscated cupboard at the back of the room, find the broach and get out ready for his first scene. Though he was going to need some help – why was he doing this for a girl? He only knew he really wanted to, just to show her he cared. It reminded him of Gilbert back in Treno always trying to impress Hunt with his (lack of) card skills. Maybe he wouldn't win Eva over, maybe she would reject him just like Hunt had Gilbert, but he had to try.

Backstage was bustling the next night, it wasn't long until curtain up and Baku knew that because he was on the first scene he did not have long to retrieve the broach. Now it came down to it he became nervous, but he remembered Stella's coin and he relaxed; this wouldn't be as hard as that he knew. In costume apart from the red cape Baku snuck out into the corridor, Zebolt was waiting for him.

'I hid that bit of the set like you said,' he told Baku passing him a small piece of bent metal. 'It won't take them long to find it though so hurry up okay?'

'I don't plan on taking forever,' he replied taking the watch Zebolt handed him.

'The play starts at seven – that gives you exactly fifteen minutes,'

'Got it,'

Baku hurried away from the noise of backstage taking the flight of stairs at two steps at a time. Once on the second floor he slowed down peering out behind the corner into the darkness to see if anyone was there. It was silent as he suspected it would be – the school was closed to students after five o'clock and any scholar that would have been there later than that was probably making their way into the theatre by now. It was like he was back in Treno waiting for Stella to appear, but this time he was certain he wouldn't get caught.

The way to Marley's office was so familiar he was able to get there without even thinking about where he was going. Her door stood at the far end of the corridor the words Head-Scholar etched carefully into it next to a poster that read the D.R.E motto and what happened to those who disregarded it. Baku had only ever picked one door successfully and even then Thug had helped him. This time he didn't have a lot of time to unlock the door. Gently he placed the metal into the lock feeling carefully for where it hit a nodge on the inside, trying to create a mental picture of what it looked like. He needed to have a blueprint in his head so he knew when and where to turn, but it was hard and several times he found himself restarting.

When Baku finally had a rough idea of what he was doing he took a quick glance at his watch. Five minutes! That had taken him five minutes!? His heart pounded as he realised he did not have long left until he was due onstage for the opening scene. Taking a deep breath Baku closed his eyes and imagined the inside of the lock. Carefully he turned the pick inch by inch waiting for the clicks where he expected them to be and sure enough the door unlocked. Baku smiled to himself proudly for a moment then realised he did not have the time for such things. He barged into the dark room beyond the door stopping suddenly to close it behind him and look around.

The place looked so different in the dark much more sinister, the portraits of some old head masters looked as though their eyes followed him around the room. The only sound was that of the clock as it ticked loudly in the stillness. Marley's confiscated cupboard stood at the side of the room close to the window, the light from the twin moons outside cast an eerie shadow from its shape. Baku was quick to undo the latch and throw open its door. He expected to find a jungle inside of which he would have to search, however he came into a neatly kept library of assortments of clothing, toys and such things. Near the top was a draw that read "jewellery", no doubt the broach would be in there.

Taking the chair from behind the desk Baku prepared to climb up to reach it. He stood on the chair and almost overbalanced gripping hold of the shelves to steady himself and knocking over a small bag of what appeared to be marbles. They crashed onto the floor and poured out, rolling everywhere. Baku rolled his eyes and opened the drawer in front of him. Even that was organised – Marley really did have a lot of time in her bone little hands didn't she? Necklaces were lined up to the right, bracelets to the left, earrings had a section at the back and miscellaneous rings and such were placed at the centre. Sure enough a red ruby broach sat on top, sparkling at the middle of a golden frame. There was nothing else like this in the drawer so he took it and tucked it into his pocket closed the drawer and jumped off the chair.

Baku quickly started to pick up the marbles spread across the floor when he came across something that surprised him. Close to the bag was a large gold coin embossed with a strange symbol. Forgetting everything else for just a moment Baku picked it up off the floor and looked at it his eyes widening as he realised it was almost an exact replica of the coin he had found at Stella's house save this one had a different emblem to that. Suddenly Baku was snapped from his thoughts by footsteps in the corridor. Then a key entered the lock, struggling because the door was already unlocked. Baku threw the bag underneath the desk before diving under it himself just as the door opened. It didn't take long to recognise the feet that walked slowly past him. Thankfully it was not Marley – it was caretaker Biggs.

Biggs was a crooked old man with bowed legs and an arched back who proceeded to his business with the haste of a dead snail. Looking nervously at his watch now showing he had but five minutes left Baku knew he needed to find a quick way out. The old man approached the desk where the bin was placed. Baku backed up against the side as a bone old claw reached under grabbing for something. It moved around making Baku shuffle to avoid it. Baku grabbed the bin and moved it into his range breathing a silent sigh as he did. The old man emptied the bag and replaced the bin, Baku looked nervously at his watch again – he didn't have time for him to finish. The door now stood at the opposite side of the room to Biggs now cleaning the frame of the school portrait. Baku crawled out from under it keeping low, turning once to check Biggs was still at it.

Getting to the door was like continuously pressing the O button stopping every time he thought Biggs had heard him hoping it was too dark to see him when he was so low. When he finally reached the door he stood and flung it open.

'Hey you!' Biggs called seeing him. Baku ignored him and ran out slamming the door shut in his path. He smiled at the sight of Biggs' keys still in the door and locked it with them trapping the old coot inside. Then he sprinted away checking the time once again – it was now past seven. He would have to hope the missing piece of set delayed it a little bit. Still he was filled with excitement; he felt the blood pulse through his body, the adrenaline rush. He loved that feeling.

Zebolt was pacing outside the door to backstage beside Eva who smiled and pointed when she saw him. 'Where have you been?' she asked concerned, 'please tell me you didn't really go after my broach,'

'Better hurry Baku their just putting that missing set into place, Lowell's going spare,' Zebolt told him taking the watch back and helping his friend get his cloak back on. Baku turned to Eva and delved his hand in his pocket quickly pulling the broach out and threw it to Eva. She glared at it in surprise, its sparkle catching the blue of her eyes and she smiled. Even if she never spoke to him again for that sight it was worth it.

'Baku! Oh thank Gaia! Get into position! We're about to start!' Scholar Lowell shouted starting to push him towards the stage. He spotted someone at the other end of the room. 'Cedric that goes on the other way!' he instructed, 'no turn it boy, turn it! Oh I should never work with children, they're such amateurs!' he looked at Baku. 'Hurry onto stage now!'

'Baku wait,' Eva caught his hand then without warning kissed him on the cheek, and with even less warning kissed him on the mouth. In those few fleeting moments all else disappeared except her softness. She broke away and smiled widely. 'Just for good luck,' she moved away. Baku was stood in shock as his hearing and eyesight returned to him.

'BAKU FOR GAIA'S SAKE GET ON STAGE!!!' Lowell shouted. Baku snapped out of it and headed for the stage. Just as he reached his spot the lights went up and music began to play though Baku's mind was still on the kiss and he forgot quite suddenly what exactly it was he was doing there. 'ladies and gentleman!' whispered Lowell from backstage. Baku snapped back to reality. 'Just say it! Say something!'

'Ladies and Gentlemen! Tonight's performance is a story that takes place long, long ago.' Baku began loudly. He watched Lowell almost faint with relief backstage. 'Our heroine, Princess Cornelia, is torn from her lover, Marcus. She attempts to flee the castle, only to be captured by her father, King Leo. When our story begins, Marcus, having heard this, crosses swords with the King.'

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This one is a bit fluffy so I apologise. All the stuff in these early chapters does come to play later, just hold tight. I'd like to thank PRIVATE for loyally reading and reviewing. :D

Next Chapter - Magala of Lindblum


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